Method of motion-picture composition



I I F. 0. WILLIAMS June 18, METHOD OF MOTION PICTURE COMPOSITION Re. 17,330

Original File d March a" 1924 I N VEN TOR.

' A TTORNE Y5 i ing.

Reissued. June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES Re. 17,330 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK D. WILLIAMS, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNLA,'ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 'IO PATENTS PROCESS INCORPORATED, OF 1105 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD OF MOTION-PICTURE COMPOSITION.

Original No. 1,589,731, dated June 22, 1926, Serial No. 697,739, filed March 3, i924. Renewed November 9, 1920. Application for reissue filed March 28, 1927. Serial No. 179,168.

This invention relates to the art of producing composite pictures wherein areal setting ,or scene in which action may take place isincorporated with an artificial picture or draw- As an illustration of an application of this invention, it is often desired to produce a picture wherein the action takes place in a room having a ceiling. With my invention, the picture may be photographed-by employing a set having no ceiling. This photograph may then be associated with an artificial scene showing the ceiling-to form a complete c'omposite photograph.

:5 An object of this invention is to provide a method whereby the component parts of a picture may be properly registered to produce a unitarypicture and whereby the tones, perspectives and other qualities maybe blended so that no lines of demarcation between the parts will be apparent.

11 In the accompanying drawing, certain ap paratus is shown illustrative of the steps followed in making a picture as outlined herein, in which I Fig. 1 is aview showing a ositivefilm containing the component 0 a pholgograph wherein the action is taking place; ig. 2 is a perspective view of apparatus for projecting the photograph shown in Fig. lpreliminary to artificially producing the-other component; and Fig. Me a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, with the artificial component completed and ready for photographing upon a film.

y The specific picture 'which is herein described as being produced has been selected merely for the purpose'of illustrating the invention in a simplified form. The picture 40 consists of an action wherein one man pursues another through the doorway of a building. The building to be shown is one of several stories,'but the action can best be produced in the foreground of a sethaving only the lower part of the building. The upper part of the building will be supplied by a drawing or picture.

In accordance with the invention, the action and'set are photographed with the upper part of .each frame masked. A positive of f one take or frame is made and appears as shown in Fig. .1, wherein the photographed portion is indicatedfiby and the masked portion by 5, Themasked portion shows in of the building as indicated by 8. This step 7 is illustrated in Fig. 2. The artificial supplemental part may now be completed by drawing in any of the details. This may be 'done while the picture is still being proj ected or after the outline has been drawn in. The depicted supplemental portionon the screen is in proper registration with respect to the component images for photographing it upon a film.

There are a number of optional methods of procedure from this point. However, I prefer to proceed in the following manner: A positive of the artificial component is made and the-lower portionof each of the frames covered with an opaque coating. This may be doneat the time the artificial component is photographed by coating the lower portion of the screen below the line of demarcation with a light .nonrefiective material as by blackening the screen. "Thereupon thescreen may be photographed by a camera in the same location as before'and a positive made thereof. This positive has only the artificial picture thereof, the lower portion thereof being in effect masked. A positive of the real composite negative may now be'm'ade by printing ontoa sensitized film first from one positive and then from the other.

' Another method conslsts in placing the positive of the real component over a sensi- .tizedfilim 'the upperportion of the positive being left in its transparent condition. An exposure is made as illustrated in Fig. 3. The artificial component is photographed upon the sensitized film, whilethe animate or real component is printed through the positive by reason of the reflection of the light from the screen. Still another variation consists in photographing the artificial .component with the lower portion of the sensitized film masked. Negatives could then be made of the real and artificial components and double printing resorted to for obtaining the-finalpic'ture The steps may also be reversed. For illustration, a still photograph of a background may be used for making a component of the ultimate picture. This component may be photographed upon a'moving picture film, a portion thereof being masked. A positive is now made and a perspective projectionis madeupon a stage to locate parts of the 'set' which are to be used for the objective of the other component. This permits accurate registration. The set is built and action therein photographed, masking the portion of the viilmcorresponding to the other component. The remaining steps are obvious.

' photographs.

I ficial photographs.

It is obvious that the steps j may be, carried out by employing negatives instead of positives. Theterm positive is used broadly Lin the claims to include negatives.

' lens upona screen, completing the projected picture by drawing on said screen anaartificial supplemental portion of theback ground to register'and blend with the projected real component portion, photograph ing said supplemental portion, and making a composite print'of the real and artificial- 2. The herein described-method of making, pictures,.which consists in masking a portion of asensitized film, photographing on the exposed surface. a real component portion of a' selected scene havin only part of the desired background, making a positive therefrom, projecting said'positive through a lens upon a screen, completing the projected picture by drawing on said screen an artificial supplemental portion of the background to register and blend withthe projected real component portion, photographing said artificialsupplemental portion, and making a positive print of the real and arti- 3. The herein described method of making picture's. consisting of making a positive ofa-real component portion of a selected scene having only part of the desired background, projecting said positive through a lens upon a screen, completing the projected picture by drawing on said screen an artificial supplemental portion of the back- "ground to register and blend withv the projected real component portion, photographing-said artificial supplemental portion, making a positive. therefrom with the area of the real component portion opaque, making a f positive of the real component portion with the area oi the artificial supplemental por- .tion opaque, and-making a negative from Lsaid positives on a single film by first printing one positive: and then printing the other positive thereon.

4, The-herein described methodof making pictures, which consists in masking a portion of a sensitized film, photographing on the exposed surface a real component portion ofa' selected scene having only part of the desired'background, making a positive therefrom, projecting said positive through a lens upon a screen, completing the, projected picture'by drawing on said screen the ground to register and blend with the proremaining supplemental portion 'of the backected real component portion, photographing said artificial supplemental portion,

making a positive therefrom with the areav of the real component portion opaque, making a positive of the real component portion with the area of'the, artificial supplemental said positive'on a'single film by first rinting one positive thereon, and'then prmting the other positive thereon. Y

5, The herein described method of making 'portion'opaque, and making a negative f-rommotion pictures, which consists in making a set of photographic pictures of a. component portion of a selected scene, projecting one member ofthe set of such photographic pictures upon a screen, completing a composite picture image by creating a supplemental portion on said screen so as. to register and blend with the projected componentfseparately photographing said siipplemental portion upon'a film to produce a'multi-plicity of photographic pictures so as :to be disposed thereon in complementary registered relation to-the component photographic pictures,

light impressin a single sensitized film with both the sets 0 component picturesandthe supplementary {pictures in. complementary I registered relation, and developing said sensitized film. 1

6. The herein described method ofmaking motion pictures which consists in making a set of photographic pictures of a component portion ofa selected scene, projecting from a selected location one member of the set-of such photographic pictures upon a' screen maintained in definite position with respect to said location, completing a composite image by creating a supplemental portion on said screen so as to register with the projected component, separately photographing from said definite position the supplemental portion depicted on said screen to produce a I 'multiplicity of photographic pictures upon a film disposed thereon in complementary reg- ',istered relation to the component photographic pictures, and light impressing asingle sensitized film with both'the. set of com ponent pictures and the supplementary pictures in complementary registered relation,

and developing said sensitized film.

7, The herein described method of making motion pictures whiclf consists in making a set of photographic-pictures of a-component portion of a selected scene, projecting one member of the set of such photographic pictures upon a visual image receptive medium -.to produce component images, pompleting a 1 motion pictures, which consists in masking a composite picture ima'ge bycreating a sup.

plemental portion so as to register and blend with the projected component, and separately photographing said supplemental portion upon a film to produce a'multiplicity of photographic pictures so 'as to be disposed thereon in corresponding registered relation to the component photographic picture's, light 1m- .pressing a single sensitized film with both the sets of component pictures and the supplementary pictures in complementary registered relation, anddeveloping, said sensitized film. s

8. The herein described method of making portion of a sensitized film, photographing on the exposed surface a real component por tion ofaselected scene having only part of the desired background, making a transparency therefrom, projecting the. image on said transparency upon a screen, completing the projected picture by-creating on said screen an artificial supplemental portion of the background to-register and blend tvith the projected real component portion, and producing on a single film a composite picture. of the real and artificial components in complementaryrelation including in the production photographing ,saidartificial supple mental portion.

9. The herein described method of making motion pictures which consists .in photographing on a sensitized film a set of partial pictures oi a scene, making a pro ectable picture of one member of said set, pro ectmg said projcctable picture on a visual receptive i.

:FRANK DQWILLIAMS. 

